To navigate through the Ribbon, use standard browser navigation keys. To skip between groups, use Ctrl+LEFT or Ctrl+RIGHT. To jump to the first Ribbon tab use Ctrl+[. To jump to the last selected command use Ctrl+]. To activate a command, use Enter.

InVEST® has awarded a record-breaking $87,000 in scholarships to 70 students pursuing insurance-related degrees.

In high schools, InVEST offers students a business curriculum that teaches them about the dynamics of insurance agencies and companies. At the college level, the program develops students’ risk management and financial analysis skills. Along with direct contributions, InVEST funds scholarships through proceeds generated by the InVEST silent and live auctions held in conjunction with the Big “I” Legislative Conference.

Bob Betters Scholarship Winners ($5,000): Established in 2011, this scholarship awards the highest dollar amounts. Bob Betters with Watson Insurance Agency in Gastonia, N.C. was appointed to the InVEST board of directors in 2009 and served as the InVEST state champion for North Carolina. He passed away in February 2011 after battling brain cancer. For five years, the InVEST board will award the top scholarships in honor of his commitment to the InVEST program.

Danielle Dacanay, Deep Run High School, Glen Allen, Va.

Erin Dudley, William R. Boone High School, Orlando, Fla.

$3,000 Scholarship Winners:

Andres Alvarez, Dr. Phillips High School, Orlando, Fla.

Manuel Carmona, St. Petersburg Catholic High School, St. Petersburg, Fla.

Gabrielle Cotilla, St. Petersburg Catholic High School, St. Petersburg, Fla.

Sean Coughlin, St. Petersburg Catholic High School, St. Petersburg, Fla.

Madeline Haller, Manatee High School, Bradenton, Fla.

Tyler Moffit, Dr. Phillips High School, Orlando, Fla.

Ashley Palmer, Dryden High School, Dryden, N.Y.

$2,000 Scholarship Winners:

Thomas Christino, Deep Run High School, Glen Allen, Va.

Diana Estrada, St. Petersburg Catholic High School, St. Petersburg, Fla.

Peyton Holl, Groton Central School, Groton, N.Y.

Josh Hutchinson, Dryden High School, Dryden, N.Y.

Katherine Johnson, Dryden High School, Dryden, N.Y.

Jenna Renaud, St. Petersburg Catholic High School, St. Petersburg, Fla.

Taylor Schneider, Dryden High School, Dryden, N.Y.

$1,000 Scholarship Award Winners:

Irene Aranda, Grossmont College, El Cajon, Calif.

Jonathan Becker, Dryden High School, Dryden, N.Y.

Chloe Beemer, William R. Boone High School, Orlando, Fla.

Margaret Brown, William R. Boone High School, Orlando, Fla.

Chris Caplan, William R. Boone High School, Orlando, Fla.

James Dawson, William R. Boone High School, Orlando, Fla.

Megan DeVice, Manatee High School, Bradenton, Fla.

Joseph Eddy, Maple Valley High School, Vermontville, Mich.

Melanie Ferreira, William R. Boone High School, Orlando, Fla.

Reilly Gibbons, St. Petersburg Catholic High School, St. Petersburg, Fla.

Gretchen Gutierrez, William R. Boone High School, Orlando, Fla.

Ronald Heinkel, William R. Boone High School, Orlando, Fla.

Claudia Hernandez, Woodrow Wilson High School, Dallas, Texas

Kimberly Horner, McGraw Central High School, McGraw, N.Y.

Michael Humphrey, Grossmont College, El Cajon, Calif.

Daniel Hurtado, William R. Boone High School, Orlando, Fla.

Colleen Kelly, Grossmont College, El Cajon, Calif.

Tai Lam, St. Petersburg Catholic High School, St. Petersburg, Fla.

Jordan Lynch, Dryden High School, Dryden, N.Y.

Montana Marshall, William R. Boone High School, Orlando, Fla.

Soyoung Moon, Lake Brantley High School, Altamonte Springs, Fla.

Tristan Sanders, William R. Boone High School, Orlando, Fla.

Zachary Schaja, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Parkland, Fla.

Tess Schneeberger, Manatee High School, Bradenton, Fla.

Kevin Schoeppler, William R. Boone High School, Orlando, Fla.

John Slater, St. Petersburg Catholic High School, St. Petersburg, Fla.

Joseph Uhatafe, St. Petersburg Catholic High School, St. Petersburg, Fla.

Chanceller Waters, ACE Technical Charter High School, Chicago, Ill.

Paris Williams, Lake Brantley High School, Altamonte Springs, Fla.

Simon Wilson, Dr. Phillips High School, Orlando, Fla.

Aaron Witt, Dr. Phillips High School, Orlando, Fla.

$500 Classroom to Career Scholarship: InVEST developed this scholarship for students who would like to enter the insurance industry immediately after graduating from InVEST. These students are eligible for $500 reimbursement for licensing or designation expenses.

Yashira Torres, Grossmont College, El Cajon, Calif.

This year, scholarship hopefuls from across the country submitted essays describing the influence and benefits InVEST had on their educational plans. Selection factors included the quality of the essay as well as the applicant’s grade-point average and extracurricular activities. InVEST mails scholarship checks, which will be used exclusively for educational purposes, directly to each student’s respective institute of higher learning.